This invention relates to locks for sliding closures doors, especially glass doors, or windows. Horizontally sliding glass doors or windows are common, and they are a common point of entry for breakins, typically by forcing the sliding portion of the door or window to move in its channel. If glass in the door or window is smashed no lock will prevent entry. Typically current sliding windows and doors are secured by a piece of material, typically metal, plastic or wood, in the channel preventing movement of the sliding portion.
Sliding doors (patio doors) and windows, have a need for a workable locking device. By nature of their construction the locks used on most sliding doors, etc., are easy targets for break and enter. The sliding door consists of a frame (upper guide, lower guide and sides), a fixed panel or window and a sliding door. To install the sliding door into the frame the upper guide must have room to lift the door into the upper guide, clearing the lower guide, then dropping the door down into/onto the lower guide. The regular lock for sliding doors is generally a downward hook, hooking onto a small bar attached to the side frame. To enter a room/home via the locked sliding door from outside, the break and enter expert needs only to lift the door with a pry bar, unhooking the lock, push the door to the side and to the inside of the room, gaining entry to the room/home. The need is for a locking device that prevents the lifting and side movement of the sliding door.
The invention comprises a extendible plunger mounted on a frame, attachable to a sliding door or similar closure, which when extended engages the channel in which the closure slides, conveniently a flange on, or integral with, the frame allows attachment to the closure.
Applicant is not aware of any closely related art.
It is a principal object of the invention to provide an extendible plunger mounted in a frame attachable to a sliding door or window, so that the plunger when extended engages the channel in which the door or window slides. It is a subsidiary object of the invention to mount the plunger on a cam, by rotation of which the plunger is extended and retracted. It is a further subsidiary object of the invention to provide a serrated edge on the plunger to engage the channel. It is a further subsidiary object to provide a serrated edge slanted into the channel away from the sliding door or window. It is a further subsidiary object that the plunger is substantially parallel to the sliding door or window within the frame and angled away from the sliding door outside the frame. It is a further subsidiary object that a flange for attachment to the sliding door or window be attached to the frame. It is a further subsidiary object that a flange for attachment to the sliding door or window be integral with the frame.
The invention in one broad aspect is directed to a lock for a closure sliding in channels. It has an attachment plate member to attach to an edge of the closure, and plunger means to engage one channel. The plunger means is extendible between a first retracted position where the plunger means does not engage the channel, and a second extended position where the plunger means engages the channel. Preferably the plunger means has a planar serrated end surface to engage the channel in second extended position. The serrated end surface when engaging is preferably coincident with the channel for maximum frictional engagement. Preferably the plunger means in extended position pivots about a pivot means operatively associated with the plate member in a plane substantially at right angles to the plate member. Preferably the pivot means is mounted in wall members extending outward of the plate member, in which it may be conveniently journalled. Preferably there is a stop member operatively associated with and spaced apart from the plate member which limits movement of the plunger means outward of the plate member. Preferably the stop member extends between the wall members. Most preferably the plunger means has a planar serrated end to engage the channel in second extended position, and the planar serrated end surface contacts the channel, when the plunger means contacts the stop member. The position of the stop member is preferably placed so that the serrated end surface when engaging is preferably coincident with the channel for maximum frictional engagement. Alternatively the serrated end surface may be angled into the channel away from the closure, again for frictional engagement. Preferably the plunger means pivots about a primary pivot means operatively associated with the plate member between first retracted and second extended position in a plane substantially at right angles to the plate member. Preferably in extended position the plunger means pivots about a secondary pivot means operatively associated with the primary pivot means.
Preferably the primary pivot means is mounted in wall members extending outward of the plate member and the secondary pivot means is mounted on the primary pivot means. Preferably there is a stop member extending between the wall members which limits movement of the plunger means outward of the plate member. Conveniently the primary pivot means is a spindle or shaft extending between the wall members, and the secondary pivot means is a cam mounted upon the shaft or spindle. The invention is not restricted to such pivot means, as those skilled in the art are aware numerous alternative arrangements are available. Preferably the plunger means has a planar serrated end to engage the channel in second extended position, and the planar serrated end surface contacts the channel, when the plunger means contacts the stop member.
In another broad aspect the invention is directed to a lock for closures sliding in channels. The lock comprises a rectangular enclosure having first and second opposed ends, first, second, third and fourth wall member. The first and third wall members are opposed, parallel, and spaced apart. The second and fourth wall members are also opposed, parallel and spaced apart, at right angles to and connecting the first and third wall members. There is a flange member operatively associated with and at right angles to the first wall member and projecting away from the rectangular enclosure. This flange member can abut and be fastened to an inner surface of the closure, and the first wall member can abut an edge of the closure. A camshaft extends between the second and fourth wall members, parallel to the first and third wall members, with cylindrical ends journalled into the second wall member and the fourth wall member. Its cam is journalled into a first end of a plunger means, which has a second serrated end projecting beyond the first end of the rectangular enclosure. When rotated the camshaft moves the second serrated end of the plunger means between a first retracted position beyond the first end of the enclosure and a second extended position further beyond the first end of the enclosure. The serrated end of the plunger means is generally planar and parallel to the channel, when touching the third wall member. In use the flange is affixed to an inner surface of the closure, and the first wall abuts an edge of the closure, and the plunger means extends into a channel in which the closure slides. When the plunger means is in first retracted position the serrated second end does not engage a surface of the channel, when in second extended position the serrated second end frictionally engages a surface of the channel, and movement of the closure in the direction of the lock, rotates the second serrated end of the plunger means into tighter frictional engagement.
The plunger means preferably has a first portion within the rectangular enclosure when retracted and a second portion outside the rectangular enclosure when retracted, the second portion being angled away from the closure. This gives greater moment to the frictional force created by shoving the closure toward the lock.
Instead of the serrated edge being parallel to the channel it may be angled toward it outward of the closure. Again this creates greater frictional force when shoving the closure toward the lock.
Preferably the cylindrical ends of the cam shaft are journalled into bearing blocks in the second and fourth wall members. More preferably the bearing blocks are exterior of the wall members and welded thereto. Conveniently the camshaft end nearest the flange has a handle outward of the flange to rotate the camshaft. The lock may comprise two abutting plates. A first rear plate has a first flange to abut the closure inner surface. The first wall member is joined on one side at right angles to the first flange. The fourth wall member is joined at the other side of the first wall member at right angles to the first wall member and extending beyond the rectangular enclosure. A second front plate has a second flange member to fit over the first flange member. There is a fifth wall member joined at right angles on one side to the second flange member to fit over a portion of the first wall member. The second wall member is joined at one side at right angles to the other side of the fifth wall member. The third wall member is joined at right angles at one side to the other side of the second wall member. There is a third flange joined at right angles to the other side of the third wall member to fit over a portion of the fourth wall member. The first and second flange members have a plurality of first apertures registrable with each other to allow fasteners to pass through the first apertures and secure the flanges together to a closure surface. The third flange and the fourth wall member having a plurality of second apertures registrable with each other to allow fasteners to pass through the second apertures and secure the third flange to the fourth wall member.
The invention when engaged prevents the lifting and side movement of the door. When activated the plunger means of the lock pushes against the upper guide/frame for the door putting downward pressure on the door. This downward pressure on the door top prevents upward movement of the door. The plunger means being angled slightly away from the door restricts the side movement of the door. The more side pressure applied to the door the more the plunger means digs into the upper guide/frame preventing the door being pushed open.